Cyprus - Media

The Cyprus Telecommunications Authority (CTA) operates the internal
communications system. The telephone network is nearly wholly automatic,
and the CTA connects Cyprus with more than 67 other countries; in 1980,
its first telecommunications satellite, Makarios, was placed in earth
orbit. In 1998, there were an estimated 405,000 mainline telephones in
use in the Greek Cypriot sector and 83,162 in the Turkish Cypriot area.
The same year there were about 68,000 cellular phones in use in the
Greek Cypriot area and, by 1999, 70,000 cellular phones in the Turkish
area.

The Cyprus Broadcasting Corp. maintains regular service. Commercial spot
announcements and a few sponsored programs are permitted on both radio
and television. Radio programming in both AM and FM is transmitted by
the CBC on two channels in Greek, Turkish, Arabic, and English. Private
radio stations have been allowed since 1990, and there were 30 licenses
issued by the end of 1992. The CBC has two channels, and licenses have
been granted to four private stations (one of them cable) since April
1993. The main television transmitting station is located on Mt.
Olympus. Since 1980, the television service has been linked via
satellite with the Eurovision network for live transmission of major
events in Europe. As of 1998, the Greek sector had 7 AM and 60 FM radio
stations; the Turkish sector had 3 AM and 11 FM stations. In 1995, each
area had four television stations. In 1997, the Greek Cypriots had about
310,000 radios and 248,000 television sets in use throughout their area.
In 1994, the Turkish Cypriots had about 56,540 radios and 52,300
television sets in use. Nationwide, there were about 120,000 Internet
subscribers served by six service providers in 2001.

Nicosia has traditionally been the publishing center for the island and
the editorial headquarters of nearly all the daily newspapers and
weeklies. There is no censorship in the south, and newspapers are
outspoken on political matters. The following are the major daily
newspapers (with estimated 2002 circulations):

ORIENTATION

CIRCULATION

O Phileleftheros
(Greek)

Independent liberal

26,000

Kibris
(Turkish)

NA

13,000

Althia
(Greek)

NA

11,000

Haravghi
(Greek)

Communist

9,000

I Simerini
(Greek)

Conservative

9,000

Apogevmatini
(Greek

Independent moderate

8,000

Halkin Sesi
(Turkish)

Independent nationalist

6,000

Agon
(Greek)

Independent right-wing

5,000

Cyprus Mail
(English)

Independent conservative

4,000

Freedom of speech and the press are mandated by law and are said to be
in full support by the government. Private television and radio stations
and university-run stations compete successfully with the
government-controlled stations.

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